I'm really torn on this also. While I'm not worried about the tax because I rarely smoke (occasional cigar or hookah), but it comes down to what's next. To me, it all depends on how much farther this goes, if it just goes to Cigarettes, I'm fine with that.

To whoever suggested the tax on alcohol, while it would slow drinking a lot, it would also hurt economies. There are so many restaurants and bars that rely on alcohol to make their living.

I'm really torn on this also. While I'm not worried about the tax because I rarely smoke (occasional cigar or hookah), but it comes down to what's next. To me, it all depends on how much farther this goes, if it just goes to Cigarettes, I'm fine with that.

To whoever suggested the tax on alcohol, while it would slow drinking a lot, it would also hurt economies. There are so many restaurants and bars that rely on alcohol to make their living.

Alcohol is taxed here in PA, and trust me, those businesses are doing fine.

People, increasing taxes on things like Smoking and Drinking are not going to change people's behavior, and the legislators know this. People are still going to smoke and still going to drink. The point isn't to get them to stop, the point is to subsidize government programs by taxing the people who cause a bigger financial burden on society (smoking leads to emphysema and heart disease which generally strike in old age, which affects how much the Federal Government pays out in the form of Medicare benefits).

I am conservative and I support a cigarette tax absolutely. It is not a question of the government impinging on our rights...it is a public health issue. There is not even an iota of positive that comes from smoking. It is unquestionably bad for the smoker, probably bad for those around him/her and is a blight on our healthcare system. All the other things mentioned have some potential positives to them so to me they would require way more nuance. But cigs ought to be taxed out of existence if it were up to me.

I must say that I find it interesting that many conservatives support cigarette taxes. Allowing the government to impose vice taxes is pretty "un-conservative."

So?

Can't somebody be conservative on some issues and liberal on others? Or has partisan politics become so deeply rooted in this country that people feel that you can't split from your party's consensus on anything?

Alcohol is taxed here in PA, and trust me, those businesses are doing fine.

People, increasing taxes on things like Smoking and Drinking are not going to change people's behavior, and the legislators know this. People are still going to smoke and still going to drink. The point isn't to get them to stop, the point is to subsidize government programs by taxing the people who cause a bigger financial burden on society (smoking leads to emphysema and heart disease which generally strike in old age, which affects how much the Federal Government pays out in the form of Medicare benefits).

We could list a ton of stuff that people do which they could stop that throws a burden onto society. So if want to tax people for this rweason then don't stop with cigs.